Imagine a whole street transformed into a mock stage of sorts, seemingly straight out of some medieval play, where tomatoes unwittingly play the twin roles of protagonist and antagonist. Or, imagine one colossal pasta bowl of a street where thousands upon thousands of people unknowingly take the form of giant pastas smeared red with thousands upon thousands of tomatoes hurled from everywhere and anywhere, in a controlled chaos of fun.

You like that? Well grab your calendars and highlight the 28th August 2012 to make way for La Tomatina Tomato Fight in Buñol, one of the most unusual festivals in the world.

11 tons of Ripe, Surplus Tomatoes

La Tomatina Tomato Fight is the highlight of a week-long festivity in Buñol, 30 miles outside Valencia, Spain. A rocket goes off, trucks full of tomatoes roll in, mayhem begins, and the street bursting full of people are transformed into one colossal blender. Churning 11 tons or so of ripe, surplus tomatoes by a frenzied crowd throwing tomatoes at each other, by stomping and by quashing and, by the end of an hour right at the moment a second rocket goes off signaling the end of the fanfare, a river of marinara sauce is dribbling down everyone’s body, dripping down the walls, and flowing under your feet down the street. Yes, the spectacle is over in just one hour of fun.

Why a Lot of Food is wasted for “Just an Hour of Fun”

There has been opposition regarding these types of festival, arguing this amount of food could be used to help our less fortunate brothers in the third world who have nothing to eat. Isolated or otherwise, everybody is entitled to their own opinion. But you know, tomato throwing is way much better than throwing bombs on civilian homes just like what is happening in Homs. Besides, the number one problem in the third world has never been about food security, but rather, about cultural and political corruption. Even a hundred tons of tomatoes given every year to the third world will never wash their problems away. Well, I’m just saying…

A Few Rules and Tips to Total Tomato Domination

As with any controlled mayhem, there are basic rules everyone must follow to ensure safety and to prevent emotions from flaring up.

You should never bring bottles of any sort, whether plastic or, heaven forbid, glass bottles to the area. When those tomatoes start flying like missiles to the air, you can just as easily forget and throw the bottle you are holding to retaliate when a tomato land smack on your face. When that happens, a riot will surely start and a real fight will take place ruining the festive air.

You should make way for the trucks which carry the tomatoes. You would never want to be the unlucky target of everyone by holding up those trucks because people just can’t wait a moment longer to get hold of those tomatoes.

Always squash a tomato before you throw them because somebody might get hurt especially when you happen to throw a missile-cum-tomato that lands smack on the unfortunate nose of someone.

Join in the fun shirtless, which is simple if you are a man. But if you are a woman, be sure to avoid any open area in the crowd, as that is where the shirt rippers hang around and why no one else is standing there.

Never wear flip flops, but do not go barefooted, either. You will surely lose your flip flops very quickly. If you go barefoot, you will surely lose your balance because tomatoes, lying harmlessly on those wet cobblestones, are way more slippery than banana peels. Better wear a pair of sneakers you can just easily throw away afterwards.

PRO TIP: Wear goggles or even a mask so tomato does not get into your eyes. Believe me, it stings rather painfully. You would never want to spot a red eye flight back home.

Keeping the slate clean

By following these simple rules and tips, you are guaranteed to have the time of your life. Don’t worry too much about other people. You will go just to have some healthy, extraordinary fun and, so will everyone else. If it will help remove any lingering doubt, there has been no reported mishap or incident in more than 60 years of La Tomatina Tomato Fight in Buñol. It is way better for everyone to keep the slate clean.

Fighting for Accommodation!

Buñol is just a small town of about 9,000 souls on any other day of the year, but the population can easily swell up to 60,000 on the last Wednesday of August, the day of La Tomatina. Owing to lack of any place to stay, majority of those who travel for the tomato fight stay in Valencia, and just make the train trip to Buñol for the day of the festival.

Holiday in Ibiza
When the daily grind gets a little too much for you, the idea of a chance to let down your hair and party is always appealing. A night out with your friends just dancing and having a good time is the usual quick fix, but every now and then we all need something more. Something to satisfy that perpetual restlessness and boredom, a truly epic party, and with those words the name Ibiza inevitably springs to mind. Ibiza is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is one of the three Balearic Islands, an autonomous community of Spain. It is also the party capital of the world, with its summer club parties having a reputation that is nothing short of legendary.

When Does the Party Start?

This famously wild nightlife is based in Ibiza Town, the island’s capital to the South, and San Antoni to the West. The partying season begins in June, ending on the first weekend of October with the Closing Parties. There are numerous hotels to pick and choose from, ranging from the cheap to the 5-star, and for those who want to spend a relatively quiet summer—the island is not just a prime party hot spot—Ibiza offers a rich history as well as its own rustic beauty to be explored.

The island’s official languages are Catalan and Spanish, but because of the island’s many visitors and foreign residents, Russian and English are also spoken quite commonly. The island’s inhabitants consist not only of the native people but of a very diverse group of Europeans, Latin Americans and many other nationalities. This diversity is what lends a magical tone to Ibiza’s revelries, as people from all over the world come together for the sole purpose of having a good time, and sharing in the positivity of the whole experience.

Ibiza Party Highlights for 2012

This can be seen in the island’s phenomenal nightlife. The world’s most famous DJs frequent the island to play at its many clubs, and some even run their own weekly nights. David Guetta, DJ Tiesto and Armin Van Buuren are all set to perform there in 2012, talk about an epic line-up! If you’re interested in the dance parties, then here are some of the hottest places in town you should check out:

Pacha

Underground

DC 10

Privilege

Gala Night

Es Paradís

Amnesia

Eden, and

Space

Need more convincing? Space and DC10 are hosting the opening parties of the season! But if you’re more into rock and roll, don’t miss the most spectacular live music event this summer – Ibiza Rocks! Some of the most happening bands have performed in the patio of the Ibiza Rock Hotel and the atmosphere is always electric. Here are some names to give you an idea;

Arctic Monkeys

Kasabian

Kaiser Chiefs

The Prodigy

If you’re in the mood to watch the sunset before the merrymaking begins, then CaféDel Mar is the perfect place, and has been visited for a long time for that express purpose. Ibiza has many such bars, with popular DJ performances and a chance to party before the party.

Not a Party-Animal? Ibiza Has a Lot More To Offer

For those who prefer an alternative to this endless bout of parties, there is also another, very interesting side to the island. Other than partying in Ibiza, it’s comforting for others to know that large portions of the country are registered as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and are protected from the development and commercialization of the main cities. The famous “God’s Finger” is a giant rock in the middle of the sea in the Benirràs Bay. Getting its name because of its odd shape, this is a place frequented by tourists. There are many more traditional Ibicenco cultural sites in Ibiza that are stunning to observe. The island’s beauty extends to its beaches, and with over 80 of them, you are sure to find the one that suits your mood. Snorkeling and long walks are always an option, and it helps that the beaches are usually less than thirty minutes apart.

So Much More Than Beautiful Beaches

Ibiza’s museums provide an insight into the island’s history. The Museo de Puig des Molins and Museo Arqueológic have artifacts dating back to the island’s ancient past, when the Greeks and Phoenicians first came to inhabit it. A nice titbit of information—Christopher Columbus is believed to have been born on Ibiza, and the quaint, rather funny monument in his honor—‘The Egg’—is worth looking up in San Antoni. I myself was pleasantly surprised by how Ibiza’s party island had to offer besides its nightlife. The architecture within old Ibiza Town is breath taking—the Government’s efforts to conserve the city’s history have certainly won out. Indeed, Ibiza is a delightful mixture of the old and the new; the natural and the urban.

Oh! and remember to sample the island’s many restaurants. The special cheesecake Flao d’Eivissa, made with soft sheep and goat’s cheese and mint is delicious!

On a parting shot, don’t miss seeing the Ibiza Port. It is gorgeous in the day, but to see it well lit up at night is an unforgettable experience.